1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character information processor having a printing function. The present invention is preferably applicable particularly to a tape printing apparatus adapted to print an input character string having one or more lines on a tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tape printing apparatus is designed to enable the user to easily prepare a label originated by the user which is to be adhered on, for example, the spine cover of a document file.
A conventional tape printing apparatus has an operation key or the like provided on an operator panel and adapted to input characters so that a desired character string can be input by operating the operation key. Also, the tape printing apparatus has a tape feeding mechanism so that a tape can be fed and discharged through a tape discharging outlet. Further, the tape printing apparatus has a printing mechanism, including a thermal head, and a tape cutting mechanism provided in this order in the path of the tape being fed.
In the tape printing apparatus, when a print operation key is operated, under the control of control means, the tape is fed at a predetermined speed by the tape feeding mechanism, and a previously inputted character string is printed by the printing mechanism on the tape thus fed. Also, when printing the character string is completed, under the control of the control means, the tape feeding mechanism is further controlled to continue to feed the tape (i.e., to feed the tape without performing printing on the tape) until the printed portion of the tape is positioned outside the tape printing apparatus.
After feeding of the tape is completed, the tape is cut by the user with the tape cutting mechanism or by the action of an automatic cutting mechanism so that a label originated by the user having thereon a desired character string can be obtained.
Meanwhile, in a tape printing apparatus, as in the other information processors having a printing function, the user can specify printing on a plurality of labels so as to obtain a plurality of labels each having thereon the same character string. When printing must be performed on a considerably large number of labels with the tape printing apparatus, all the desired number of labels must be subjected to printing with the tape printing apparatus, unlike the case of the other character information processors. Specifically, in the case of the other character information processors, the user can obtain the plurality of print mediums by performing printing on only one print medium with the character information processor and repeatedly copying the one print medium with a copy machine so as to obtain the duplicates thereof. In contrast, in the case of the tape printing apparatus, the print medium (label) cannot be subjected to copying with a copy machine, and accordingly all the copies (labels) must be subjected to printing with the tape printing apparatus. Under the above circumstances, there is a strong need to equip a tape printing apparatus with an enhanced function of consecutively performing printing on a plurality of copies (labels) (hereinafter the function consecutively performing printing on a plurality of copies will be often referred to as "consecutive-print function".)
However, the conventional consecutive-print function has the following problems.
First, when the user needs to continue preparing the same labels until the loaded tape is used up, the conventional consecutive-print function fails to satisfy such user's need. This is because the user can only set a fixed value.
Secondly, when the user uses up the loaded tape stock before the number of labels on which printing is completed (hereinafter, often referred to as "printed number") reaches a maximum number for specification which the tape printing apparatus allows (hereinafter often referred to as "limit number"), the user may have difficulty in resuming the consecutive-print processing. Specifically, even though the user sets the number of labels to be printed to the limit number, the loaded tape may be used up before the printed number reaches the limit number depending on the length of the label stock. In such a case, the user must load a substitute tape, set again a remaining number (a number obtained by deducting the printed number from the limit number), and then resume the consecutive-print processing.
Thirdly, under the conventional consecutive-print function, the user must always specify a desired number of labels on which printing is to be performed before starting consecutive-print processing, that is, he cannot specify the desired number while the consecutive-print processing is being performed, so that it takes a long time for him to complete the consecutive-print processing.
The above-mentioned problems arise not only in the tape printing apparatus but also in the other character information processors having a printing function.